Red Winter
by The Oddball Storyteller
Summary: "We're all freaks. Some people are just better at hiding it." Lydia Aldaine, a former nurse, tries her best to care for her younger brother, Konnor. Little does she know, she catches the eye of the serial murderer called the "Mercy Killer". It's up to one Norman Jayden to bring this man to justice. Following 'Case Closed', Jayden X OC, Rated M for violence and crude language
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **I got to play _Heavy Rain_ recently! Awesome game, really. Jayden was my favorite character.

So, yeah... I'm writing this. If the chapters seem too short for you, they were kind of modeled after the game - it did not take me too long to beat it. Repeatedly. XD This takes place after the events of _Heavy Rain_. December embraces us, so it's kind of futuristic... I couldn't help it. I love winter!

Oh, yeah! _Heavy Rain_ was written and directed by Quantic Dream's founder and CEO David Cage! Enjoy!

* * *

_Prologue_

* * *

With Konnor in bed, she was now free to head to the market. The icy wind nipped her face, turning her cheeks a rosy color. Locking the door behind her, she stepped off of her porch and climbed into her car. She'd make this a fast trip – only pick up things for the next day.

It was a five minute trip to her destination. While she was there, she picked up milk, apples, as well as things for lunch and dinner. She chatted with the cashier for a moment – having befriended him nearly two weeks ago. He was a young man, just starting out in a new state. He'd come here, to Ohio, after his mother had passed.

"Just hoping to find a place to help me forget," he told her with a forced smile. She could only nod as a response. She understood. "It was rough to begin with, but I think things are finally getting better."

"Well, I'm happy for you, then." Her smile was small, but genuine.

"Yeah... It was nice seeing you again, Lydia."

At this, her smile widened and she nodded. "It was nice seeing you, too. Bye, Joel." She turned, about to head out.

"Ah...!" She looked over her shoulder at him. "Do you need help? With your bags, that is?"

"I think I have it," she told him, amused. He was such a sweet boy.

He nodded. "Right. See you some other time." He waved and watched her leave.

Out in the cold once more, she started for her car. She dug through her purse while trying to keep from dropping the milk. She sighed heavily, watched as her breath turned into wispy fog. She smiled at the thought of Konnor going on and on about smoke-blowing dragons.

She placed her bags and her milk on the car after her unsuccessful attempt at finding her keys. She reminded herself to clean out her purse later. It was a wonder she could find anything in this mess! "Ah!" She hummed to herself as she finally pulled them out.

The snow crunching behind her gained her attention. She went to turn, but she hadn't been fast enough. She gasped as a gloved hand fell over her mouth. A small cry escaped her. She was pulled against someone's – a man's – chest.

For a moment, she thought that Joel had come out to play a horrible joke on her. After a minute, she wasn't so sure what to believe. The man's hold was tightening by the second. He panted next to her ear and she watched as his breath formed small clouds around her face.

"It happened again! She's dead..." A man who was obviously being eaten up by guilt. "She's gone." His voice was stronger this time. He seemed angry. "_I did it_... Be careful, Lydia."

Her eyes widened at this. Her scream came out muffled. Despite her efforts to fight him off, she simply was not strong enough. He held fast, swearing under his breath.

"Hey!"

She recognized that voice. Joel had come to be her knight in shining armor. At the sound of another man's voice, the attacker sprang away from her and sprinted off. She tried to get a good look, but he was so fast and was wearing all black – he vanished into the night.

Lydia struggled to catch her breath, putting a hand over her chest. "Shit!" Joel swore. "Lydia, are you all right?" He came up behind her, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," she answered. "I'm lucky you came out, though. Thank you."

"I thought I'd catch a smoke, but then I saw that guy walking up behind you… Man, I bet that was scary! Do you know who that was?" She shook her head. "Well, it looks like he's gone now..."

"He knew my name," she murmured.

"Huh?"

"That man," she started, "he knew me by name."

His gaze narrowed. "That's worrying." He dragged a hand through his spiky hair. "I'd contact the police," he said. "There's some guy going around killing chicks, right?"

The serial murderer that people were starting to call the "Mercy Killer". Why they would call him something like that, she'd no idea. She assumed the nickname came from knowledge that she did not have. Either way, she had felt like prey. A rabbit caught in a snare, just waiting to be devoured by a beast.

"Yeah," she said finally. "And I think I will call the police, just to let them know something happened."

"You should," Joel said with a quick nod.

"Right... Well, I guess I really should get out of here. Konnor's at home alone."

"Okay. Be careful, Lydia."

It wasn't as if she needed anyone to say that. She already felt threatened, and she still had a child to protect. In any case, she thanked Joel and climbed into her car. She sped back to her house, wanting to make sure Konnor was okay.

When she got into the house, she checked on her brother. He slept soundly in her bed – as he adamantly refused to sleep in his own bed. Chester, their Golden Retriever, looked up at her. With a soft sigh, she went back downstairs and locked up as securely as possible. She went to draw the curtains, blocking out any light from the outside.

After a while, when she'd managed to calm down, she went and got ready for bed. She was too tired to do much else on this night. Almost as soon as she got into the bed, Konnor was nestling into her. While she did believe that he was becoming too old to do some of the things he did, she welcomed this tonight. He was her rock, her reason for being. For now, she just wanted to ensure his safety – especially if the man in the parking lot had truly been a threat.

She placed a kiss in the boy's hair. For the longest time, she stared into the darkness. She was happy when sleep finally took her.

* * *

**Prologue**: complete!


	2. The Hospital

**Author's Note: **here is Chapter 1 of Red Winter! Enjoy!

* * *

_The Hospital_

* * *

She recognized the scent of this place. She recognized the people. This had been her place of work. It had been her life before Konnor had shown up. She walked up to the desk, "Yo."

The receptionist looked up, smiled happily. "Don't just 'yo' me! I need a hug!" The woman stood, rounded the counter and hugged Lydia to her. "I haven't seen you in a while. What's going on?"

"Nothing much," Lydia said with a shrug. "I just thought I'd stop by and see how everyone is doing."

"Oh, I've gotta tell you: this place has not been the same. It's dull and depressing without you here. Even the patients have noticed your 'disappearance'."

"By 'patients' you mean Randi and Aidan, right?"

"They have asked about you. Randi was noticeably distraught." The woman, Tammi, nodded. Lydia had been friends with Tammi for a couple of years. Most of her friends/co-workers had been shocked to hear about her resignation. It sounded like her patients had not taken it well at all.

Lydia had been a psychiatric nurse, working with people of all ages and with varying mental illnesses. Randi was twelve and was suffering with bipolar disorder. Her parents had seemed like decent enough people, having brought their daughter here after she'd threatened to kill herself.

"You think I should visit her?"

Tammi shrugged now. "That's your call. She's already doing poorly. Maybe she just wants to know why you left?"

Lydia nodded. "No one will mind if I go and see her?"

Tammi laughed and said, "No one's gonna have a problem with it."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

Lydia moved through the hospital, every step she took sure. She'd belonged here once. She waved and smiled at some of the people that she'd worked with. When she came up to Randi's door, she knocked, but did not wait for a response.

Randi looked over, her bright blue eyes going wide with surprise. "Lydia!" She rose from her seat and rushed to hug the woman. Lydia returned her hug.

"Hi!" Lydia greeted. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"A little more than two months," Randi said, frowning. "They're going to keep me here forever, aren't they?"

"Not forever," Lydia assured her. "We've been over that before."

"Yeah, yeah..." The girl waved a dismissive hand. "Where have you been? The guy they have here now annoys me."

"He's here to help you, Randi."

Her gaze narrowed and she moved back to her seat. Her parents had brought her some puzzles to work on. Either she was only just starting this one, or she couldn't focus enough to piece it together.

"What's it gonna be?" Lydia asked.

"Puppies," Randi answered in a soft voice. She started biting her nails as she stared at the multitude of puzzle pieces. "You didn't answer my question. Where have you been?"

Lydia sighed a little, sitting in the chair across from the girl. "I told you that I had a little brother. He needs me."

"Like I do?" Randi's eyes lifted. She looked angry, scary. "He's that little boy that was here when you were hurt, right?"

Lydia was quick to change the subject, saying, "I hear that you've been upset."

"Upset does not begin to describe it." Randi stood suddenly, pacing. "I can't stop crying! I feel trapped here, you know? Mom and Dad don't come by often enough, and when they do, they pretend as though I'm not here, in this place. I don't get it!"

"They probably do that to avoid upsetting you further."

"The fact that I'm here never leaves my mind. They don't have to worry about 'upsetting me further'."

"Have you been sleeping?" Lydia asked her, noticing the dark circles that hadn't been there before. Randi gave her a strange look.

"Yeah. Some." She ran a hand down the length of her face. "I can't stand it here any longer. They told me you left, and you were the only thing keeping me sane. I didn't know what to do."

"I'm sorry that I didn't let you know about it," Lydia told her. "But you can't let that stop you, Randi. You've made such progress."

"If you say so. I don't feel any different." She stopped pacing, staring out the window for a second. "That tree looks sickly."

"Randi." Lydia brought the girl's attention back to her. Randi looked her over as if judging her worth.

"I accept your apology," she said.

"Thank you."

"Yeah... _That guy_," she spat, "I don't like him. Gabriel, I think his name is."

"What don't you like about him?"

"Just the way he is."

"What do you mean?"

Randi was practicing her calming techniques, breathing deeply. First she would calm herself, and then voice her anger. "He's an ass."

"Randi!" Lydia covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile. It didn't matter; Randi had caught that smile and was now smiling herself.

"It's true," Randi told her. "I hear him talk to other people and I think that he's pretty conceited."

"Even if he is," Lydia started, "he wants only to help you."

"He's not like you," Randi said, shaking her head. "I can relate to you. We share some of the same interests and stuff."

There it was. She felt no connection with this man. That connection was essential to Randi. Lydia intended to speak with Gabriel.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I'll fix the problem."

"You'll come back?"

"I can't say that," Lydia said, frowning. She got to her feet. Randi watched with sad eyes. "I have to go."

"To that boy again?" Randi seemed resentful.

"My brother does need me, Randi. That is true."

"Right... Well, I'm glad I got to see you again."

"I'm glad, too." She went over to the girl, stroked her hair for a moment. She left, was brought up short when two men stood in front of her. "Vince."

"Lydia." The tall blonde man flashed her a pearly smile. "Was Randi happy to see you?"

"She was."

"That's good. This is Gabriel," Vince gestured. Gabriel bowed his dark head a little.

"I've heard much about you," Gabriel told her. "The patients all seemed to enjoy your company."

"Yes, I'd like to speak to you about Randi in particular."

"Hmm?" He seemed curious.

"She'd like to spend time with you. Do you think you could help her piece together puzzles and things like that?"

"Uh... Sure."

"Thank you. I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

"Lydia, walk with me," Vince said. She could tell that he was still as bossy as ever. "See you later, Gabe."

"You don't have something of dire importance to see to...?" she asked Vince when Gabriel was out of earshot.

"They'll beep me if they need me." Vince shrugged. "I just wanted to catch up with an old friend." He reached up and ruffled her hair. He laughed when she scowled. "You'll get wrinkles."

She gasped at the very idea. "Don't say such things! You scared me!"

He laughed some more, but then his smile disappeared as if it had never been. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

"Understandably so," Vince murmured. "Are you in any pain?"

"No, not right now."

"You're avoiding anything too strenuous, right?"

"Of course," she said on a sigh. The reminders were everywhere, she thought. She wasn't the person she used to be... "I have to leave soon, Vince. We should get together sometime and catch up, though."

"Oh, right! Totally! You were right earlier about me having work to do, so I'll let you go." He hugged her briefly, they said their parting words and she was off.

In her car now, Lydia sighed heavily, resting her head on the steering wheel. Here came the headaches. She jumped when her phone started going off. The school was calling her. Strange.

"Hello?" She listened for a moment, then, in disbelief, "_What_?"

* * *

**Chapter 1**: complete!


	3. Family Matters

**Author's Note: **this is chapter 2 of Red Winter! Enjoy!

* * *

_Family Matters_

* * *

Lydia pulled into the school's parking lot. She thought she'd be angrier, but she wasn't. In truth, she didn't feel anger at all. She felt helpless, if anything. Even so, she couldn't allow that to hold her back.

With her head held high, she entered the school and found the principal's office. It was there that three children sat – two of which looked extremely guilty of some misdeed, the last one sat patiently with a thermometer in his mouth. One of the guilty-looking children was her Konnor.

"Miss Aldaine?"

Lydia gave a curt nod, keeping her gaze locked on Konnor. He refused to look at her, ashamed. "Konnor, come here to me." He got up slowly and moved to her side, keeping his head down. "I'm sorry he caused you trouble."

The older woman nodded. "I'm afraid Konnor won't be able to attend school for the next two days."

While Lydia handled business, Konnor shifted nervously. What would she do? What would she say? He'd caught a glimpse of her sad face. He'd upset her... He _hated_ upsetting her.

"Come along." Her hand touched the back of his head just barely, but it was enough to get him going. It was cold outside, so he rushed to the car when he saw it.

Lydia sighed as she started the car up. For a moment, they sat in silence. "I'm sorry, Lydia," he murmured. She looked over at him. "Please don't look so sad."

"That isn't what's most important. Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

He shook his head. "No. It's just a bruise on my arm, and that's not even from when he punched me. I hit it on the wall."

Lydia nodded slowly. "Now we get to the _why _of it all."

"He annoyed me," Konnor said with a casual shrug.

"Unacceptable."

Konnor knew that tone of voice. He dared to glance over at her, but she wasn't looking at him anymore. "I'm sorry, Lydia."

"So you've said," she muttered. "There is no reason that could justify violence, but how was he annoying you?"

"He kept poking me, telling me that I was doing things wrong! It was _my _project!"

Lydia looked at him again. "Did you tell him that you did not need his help? _Politely_?" She hated the fact that she had to emphasize that part. Konnor had a temper, she knew. When he was angry, he definitely had a mouth on him… They were working on that, though.

"No. He wouldn't shut up long enough for me to say anything."

"Konnor..." She shook her head. That's what she normally did when she was disappointed – and with that knowledge, his eyes saddened. "Violence is never an option," she told him.

"Yeah. You've said that before."

"And...what? That simply didn't come to mind before you punched that boy in the mouth?"

"No," Konnor grumbled. "I was angry! I didn't think, I just did it."

Sensing that she wasn't getting anywhere with him, she pulled out of the parking lot. "You're still angry, right?"

"Yeah, but for a different reason..." He touched his forehead to the window.

"What reason is that?"

"I let you down."

She closed her eyes briefly, fought off the tears. "You could never let me down, Konnor. I love you more than anything. I just don't want you to do things like that – it could get you in a lot of trouble later."

"What do I do?" he asked her.

"You remember the breathing techniques I taught you?"

"Those never work, Lydia!" he whined.

"Have you even attempted them?" His silence was her only answer. She sighed. "We've got to make a stop; Chester needs food."

"You told me exercising helps, but you can't do that in the middle of class." He went on as if she'd said nothing.

She gave a barely-there smile. "I didn't say to do it as soon as you got angry, but you're right. Exercise regularly and it can help your mood."

"Oh!" Konnor smiled when he realized where they were. "Can I have that candy that you got last time? What was it again?"

"3 Musketeers. And in case you've forgotten, you're in trouble, mister. Being suspended is a big deal." He started pouting. He forced the door open and then slammed it closed. "Konnor!" she called when she got out, locking the doors as she went to catch up with the boy.

"It's just candy, Lydia," he grumbled.

"Candy is a treat. Quite frankly, I don't feel you deserve it right now."

"So you don't think I'm good?"

"You're a good boy," she assured him, stroking his hair even as they walked. "You just made some bad choices today." She brought him closer and he wrapped an arm around her. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Konnor clung to her as they moved through the store. She felt pressured, but not because of him. She always had this feeling that someone was following her. Not wanting to worry her brother, she always checked around discreetly.

"There." Konnor pointed to a bag of dog food. "I can carry that one!" In fact, he was going to prove it. He lifted the bag and carried it slung over one shoulder. "I'm really strong," he told her and she laughed, nodding in agreement.

They paid and left. "Chester will be happy," she said as they finally started heading home. She couldn't wait to get warm; her fingers were actually numb!

"He'd better be! He's the only one that got something..."

"Are you still upset about the candy?"

"Not really," he said on a sigh.

"Oh, so you just like giving me a hard time?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. His smile was slow in coming. Jokingly, he said, "Sometimes." They laughed.

* * *

**Chapter 2**: complete!


	4. Home

**Author's Note: **this is chapter 3! Enjoy!

* * *

_Home_

* * *

"You want to help me with dinner?" she asked after they'd been home for a couple of hours.

"Sure." He followed her into the kitchen, lifting himself so that he could sit on the counter. He watched as she ripped the dog food bag open and then poured some into Chester's bowl. The Golden Retriever came running.

"Food time, Chester!" Lydia chimed. He wagged his tail happily and went straight for his meal. "Are you getting the noodles out?" she asked Konnor as she washed her hands.

"Yeah..." He peeked into the cabinet next to him, pulling out the box. "Elbows!" he said happily as he slid the box along the counter towards her.

"Thank you. Can you get the pots and pans ready?"

He hopped off the counter, dragged out a large pot for the pasta. He handed it off to her and she filled it with water. "For the love of beef!" He put the pan on the stove.

Lydia placed the pot on another eye and put the lid on it – though she did not give it heat yet. She'd cook the beef first.

The doorbell chimed and Chester barked twice. Lydia went to answer the door. "Luke!"

"Luke's here?" Konnor raced in to hug the blonde man. Luke laughed.

"Hey, buddy! And hello to you, too." He looked up at Lydia, blue eyes sparkling. "I thought I'd stop by and see what you guys are up to."

"We're makin' dinner," Konnor told him.

"Sounds like I showed up just in time, huh?" His smile was bright.

"Yeah!" Konnor dragged the man further into the house. Lydia closed the door and went back into the kitchen.

"Chester! Hey, boy!" Luke crouched in order to hug the dog. "You look gorgeous, as usual." The dog snorted, as if even he thought Luke was ridiculous. "What are we having?" he asked, looking up at Lydia now.

"Johnny Marzetti," she responded.

"Sounds awesome," he said, standing. He brushed his clothes off. "Though, I probably shouldn't invite myself over to eat your food." He laughed.

"He can eat with us, right, Lydia?" Konnor enjoyed Luke's company. He seemed to be a role-model, of sorts.

"Of course. It's always a pleasure to have you here, Luke."

"Thanks."

"Why don't you guys go and watch television while I do this?"

"You're okay with that? You don't want help?" Luke questioned.

"I've got it."

"If you're sure. Come on, Konnor. You got any cool movies that we can watch?"

"Oh, yeah! I'll show you!"

Lydia looked at Chester. He looked back at her. She gave a shrug and the dog sighed, lying at her feet. She hummed to herself as she prepared the meal, looked out the small window above the sink when she thought she saw something move.

Trick of the mind, she told herself. She couldn't help but feel like she was living a nightmare. These recent events seemed so surreal. She sighed a little at the thought.

When dinner was finished, she readied plates and brought them out to the boys. "Enjoy!" she said with cheeriness that she did not really feel.

"Thanks a bunch!" Luke said with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks." Konnor spoke with his mouth full.

She went back into the kitchen and came back in with a plate of her own. She sat on the couch beside Luke as they watched a movie based on Greek mythology.

"It's getting dark," Luke said near the ending. "I should probably head home soon."

"Oh." Lydia stood with him. "Okay. Well, this was nice," she said with a small smile. Her teeth worried her bottom lip. She was nervous. Not cool.

"It was nice," Luke agreed. "And it's about that time, boy." He looked at Konnor and the boy lost his smile. "Time for bed, that is."

"He's right, Konnor. Even if you don't have school, you still need to get to bed."

"What do you mean?" Luke made a face.

"He got in trouble for fighting."

"Lydia!" Konnor was embarrassed.

"That's not cool, dude. You're nine! What are you fighting for? And besides that, fighting doesn't solve anything. You knew that, right?"

"Lydia's told me before..."

"And Lydia's pretty smart. You'd be wise to listen." Luke smiled. "Am I right?"

"Yeah," Konnor said with a nod.

"Alright. Well, I'll see you some other time, little bro."

"I'll be up soon, Konnor."

"Okay. Bye, Luke." He waved before heading up the stairs.

"They say it's just a phase, right?" he asked, running a hand through his blonde hair. He seemed worried.

"I doubt he'll do anything like that again," she told him. They stepped outside to say their goodbyes. She wrapped her arms around herself to better protect herself from the cold. "Thanks for coming over."

"It was my pleasure, really." He laughed.

"What is it?" she asked when he lost his smile suddenly. He pushed her out of the way just before clashing with another man. At first, she was dazed. It was only when she realized that they were throwing punches that she cried out and raced into the house to call the police.

In a rush, she gave them her address and looked outside again, trying to give the woman an accurate description of the attacker. Unfortunately, like before, this man wore all black and had a hood on – as if he'd known he was going to commit a crime on this night.

She ran back outside, but wasn't entirely sure what she should do. She'd just get thrown around like a rag doll if she tried to jump in. She screamed when the black-clad man punched Luke hard enough to knock him out. The blonde man fell, his head hitting the road _hard_. Before thinking, she threw herself over Luke, meaning to protect him from any further blows.

The attacker was panting heavily. She couldn't will herself to lift her head and look at him, though. Eventually, she heard him run off. Only then did she look up, making sure that he was really gone.

"Luke!" She put her hands on either side of his face. Blood oozed from his nose and bruises were already staining his pale skin. "Luke, wake up!" She brushed his hair out of his face.

He groaned. His face scrunched in pain. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know! You just...fell. Are you okay?"

"I hurt…a lot. My head..."

"You could have a concussion. Don't move around so much, Luke! You're scaring me!" One of his hands found and gripped hers tightly.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she said. "I can hear the police sirens."

"You called the police, then? Good girl..." He sounded far away, drowsy.

"Don't you dare go to sleep, Luke. The street is no place for that." She tried for humor, hoping to distract him. She got a small smile out of him. He opened his eyes to look at her.

"Do you know who that guy was?"

She shook her head. "No, but I think he's been following me for a while now. The other night, someone came up behind me, covered my mouth with their hand and told me that someone was dead. He told me to be careful."

"Shit! Lydia, have you not been watching the reports on television? They found another victim of the Mercy Killer earlier today! Did you call the police after that?"

"I meant to, but never got around to it," she admitted.

"This is serious, Lydia."

"I know! I'm sorry!" Her gaze moved away. "What's that?"

"What?"

She moved away and picked something up off the street. "A card...?" she murmured as she held it up in front of her face.

"Turn it over..." Luke's eyes had gone wide at the image on the back. She did so. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream.

* * *

**Chapter 3**: complete! You know what? Jayden's showing up in the next chapter!


	5. Haunting Memories

**Author's Note:** I tell no lies! Here's our favorite FBI profiler on the scene! Chapter 4 is here!

* * *

_Haunting Memories_

* * *

"Hello, Mr. Jayden!" People greeted him as he walked through the door. It had become the norm since the Origami Killer case a little over a year ago. Women flocked to him, and while they wished to shower him with praises (and maybe even kisses), he still found the whole thing a bit awkward.

He was shown to his office firstly. It was of decent size, had all of the necessities and then some. He could come to like it here. Agent Norman Jayden sat down and marveled briefly at the chair's softness. _Time to get down to business_, he told himself.

Before he could do anything, a sharp knock on his door gained his attention. They didn't wait for an invitation, merely opened the door and walked in. An older man, probably in his late thirties or early forties, stood before him. He had a distinguished beard and dark hair. He narrowed his brown eyes at Jayden.

"You're the FBI guy, right?"

"Norman Jayden," he said with a nod.

The man's gaze narrowed even further, but then he smiled. "It's good to meet you. I'm Lieutenant Sydney Brant. You can call me 'Syd' if you want." Jayden rose to shake Brant's hand. "I guess we'll be workin' together."

"It appears so."

"I'm assuming you've done your research...?"

"I have," Jayden said, nodding.

"Yeah? What are you thinking so far?"

"From what I've gathered, this is probably a white male between the ages of twenty-four and thirty. He's sure of himself and his abilities. He's cunning. He's sexist and...he will attempt to kill again."

"Whoever he is, he's one fucked up bastard." Jayden only nodded as a response. "Well, I should tell you..." At this, Jayden perked up. "There was an attack last night. There's a man in the hospital with a minor concussion. His friend, whom he had been visiting at the time, was a witness." Brant leaned against the wall, "If you don't mind, can you handle the chick? At the risk of sounding sexist myself, I'm not good with hysterics."

Jayden's smile was almost nonexistent. "I think I can handle her."

"Brave man." Brant clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll meet back up soon enough," he said and Jayden nodded again. Sydney gave him the address. "See you later, Norm!"

Jayden visibly flinched as the other man turned to leave. Why the nickname? Now he felt strange...

* * *

The house was small and painted a soft blue color. From the outside, it looked cozy. Jayden got out of his car and approached the door, knocking three times. A dog barked excitedly from inside. Jayden waited.

A small boy answered the door. "You know, it's not safe to open the door for just anyone."

The child was silent for a minute, staring up at Jayden with big, brown eyes. "Are you a pedo?"

Jayden's eyes widened. "What? No! Agent Norman Jayden, FBI." To prove it, he showed the boy his identification card.

"I'm Konnor Aldaine." He spoke with pride. "You can come in." He stepped aside to allow the man access.

"Thank you." Jayden stepped in and was greeted by a Golden Retriever. He gave the dog a pat on the head.

"Chester's real friendly. He likes everyone. Right, boy?" Konnor stroked the dog's long fur. "Fetch Lydia!" The dog barked once and raced up the stairs. "He's really smart, too." Konnor smiled.

Jayden gave a small smile. "Yeah? What else can he do?" He'd make small-talk for the time being.

"He does all sorts of tricks. He'll sit, lie down, shake and roll over. He knows how to fetch, too. He's awesome."

A woman came down, followed by Chester. "Lydia!" Konnor chimed. "He's an FBI guy."

She stared at him for a long moment, looking like a deer in headlights. "Hello," Lydia greeted, extending her hand for him to take. He did. "I'm Lydia Aldaine."

"Norman Jayden."

"Please, have a seat." She gave him a pleasant smile.

"Thank you," Jayden said as he moved into the living area, choosing to sit in the only chair.

"Konnor, why don't you go play in your room while I talk to Mr. Jayden?" It wasn't really a question; it was just posed as one. Konnor seemed to understand that. Glancing Jayden's way once more, the boy disappeared upstairs.

Lydia shifted nervously. "Would you like anything to drink?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"No, thank you. If it's okay with you, I'd like to ask you a few questions about last night..." Lydia gave a stiff nod and sat on the couch. "What time did all of this happen?"

"Around 8:30 P.M. I remember because we'd just sent Konnor off to bed." She looked up at him with tired eyes. Big eyes. Hazel eyes. He took note of her impossibly long eyelashes.

"Did you recognize the attacker?"

She shook her head, "No." She bit into her lip, her gaze falling to the floor. "There is...something." At this, Jayden appeared curious. "I went to buy some groceries the night before and as I was leaving, someone came up behind me. He put his hand over my mouth. He could've been the same man."

"Did he say anything to you?"

She nodded, saying, "He sounded scared at first. He said, 'It happened again. She's dead.' But then he sounded angry, 'She's gone. I did it. Be careful, Lydia.'" Her eyes filled with tears. "He knew me by name!"

"But you didn't recognize him?"

"No." She shook her head frantically. "Not even his voice. But he obviously knows who I am, where I live. I fear for my brother...!" She bit into her bottom lip mercilessly.

"This friend of yours..."

"Luke. Luke Page. We've been friends since high school."

Jayden nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. She stood suddenly. His gaze followed her as she moved towards a desk and opened a drawer. She approached him, handing him something.

"Whoever he was, he dropped this when he fled."

Jayden took the card. It was plain, white...blank. He turned it over and in the middle was a black symbol – the infinity symbol, to be exact. He didn't know if Lydia knew or not, but these cards were connected to the "Mercy Killer" crimes. They were a bold statement from the murderer.

"Mr. Jayden…?"

He looked up at her. He must have appeared lost in thought. Lydia would not like what he had to say next, but she had to know – if only to better protect herself and her little brother. "Miss Aldaine," he spoke softly, "I fear that you may be in danger. These cards have been found at each of the 'Mercy Killer' crime scenes."

She gasped, one hand flying to her mouth. She hadn't known, then. "What do I do?" she asked him. "Do I leave the city or what?"

"Do you have any family? Someone you can trust?"

She shook her head, saying, "If I did, I would send Konnor to them right away. I cannot have him in danger."

"I don't think your brother is in any immediate danger," he assured her. "If this is the same man that grabbed you the night you went to the store, then it is obvious that he feels he has a connection with you." She went back to gnawing on her bottom lip. He climbed to his feet, "You won't mind if I have a look around the house?"

"Not at all," she said, shaking her head. Sensing that she was no longer needed, she went into the kitchen.

Jayden pulled out a pair of sunglasses and pushed them onto his face. He tugged a glove onto his right hand. He used the experimental device, ARI, less and less frequently. After encountering small virtual tanks a while back, he'd realized that he'd relied on it far too much – that did not mean that he did not recognize the benefits of it; that was exactly why he was going to use it briefly here.

A quick reading showed him that only Lydia's prints were on the card. He went outside, where the attack had taken place. He found small traces of blood – belonging to one Luke Page. There were footprints all over. The scene had been disturbed far too much to gain any good leads.

Swearing softly, Jayden tucked the ARI glasses back into his breast pocket. He removed the glove and returned to the house. Lydia appeared anxious.

"Thanks for the information," he said. "We'll be in touch."

"Ah…!" She caught him by his coat sleeve, released him a second later. "I apologize." She looked shocked that she would do such a thing. "Mr. Jayden, you've been called from out of town, right?"

"From D.C."

She nodded a little, "You're staying at a hotel? Why not stay here?" At his quirked eyebrow, she said hastily, "What I mean is, if I am in danger, I would feel a lot better having someone like you with me and my brother. We would not get in the way of your work, I swear it!"

She was obviously fearful. For good reason, too. Jayden looked her over, couldn't help but notice how small she was, how frail she appeared to be. "I could stop by later tonight," he told her.

"To check on us? Thank you!" She bowed her head some.

"Yeah… I guess I'll see you later." He stepped off the porch and went to his car, ready to head back and see if Brant had found anything.

* * *

With Jayden gone, Lydia panicked. She made sure that the doors and windows were locked. She wished that her parents could rise from their graves and come back home to her. Her father had been in law enforcement, he could've protected them…

She shook her head, reminded that her father hadn't even been able to protect himself. She frowned as those images flashed before her eyes all over again. One moment, she was smiling, sending her parents on their way as they took a much-deserved vacation. In the next moment, it was raining fire and metal. The car had exploded with her parents inside. The debris had hit her, she'd fallen and broken her arm…

She didn't remember too much after that. She _did_ remember waking up in a hospital room. Luke had been the one to tell her the bad news: her parents had been killed. _Murdered_. The man was caught shortly after, but that hadn't brought her parents back. It hadn't stopped hers and Konnor's tears. The pain had never dulled.

"Lydia, can I come down now?" Konnor questioned from the top of the stairs.

"Yes," she answered immediately.

"Cool." He jumped down the stairs, ignoring her when she told him to be careful. He walked up to her and hugged her tightly. "Are you okay, Lydia?"

Even he could tell that she was bothered now. She'd tried to hide it from him as much as possible. She sighed softly. "Yeah, I'm fine. You want to go visit Luke?"

"Yes!"

"Alright, bundle up and we'll go." She needed a distraction. She wanted to be anywhere but _here_. It was sad, she thought, that her own home seemed more like a prison…

* * *

**Chapter 4**: complete!


	6. Unease

**Author's Note: **it's Jayden Time! Ha! Yeah... You know what I like? Knowing that you're reading. You know what I like even more? Knowing that you're _enjoying_ the read. :3

* * *

_Unease_

* * *

Jayden rubbed at his tired eyes. His watch showed him that it was a little after 10:00 P.M. Both he and Brant had little to go on. There had to be something, though. Jayden couldn't believe that the murderer would have to kill again in order for him to find him. He couldn't allow that!

Using the locations of the victims, Jayden had created a "zone". It was a large zone, however - he'd need more clues to shrink it. He stared at the map, his eyes landing on the red dot - Lydia's home. Five blue dots showed the locations of all the murdered women.

Five women killed in seven months. His most recent victim - Debbie Rose, also known as "Ethereal" at the strip joint she'd worked at. Brant had already questioned her co-workers, but of course, being unable to handle hysterics, he'd tried leaving the family to Jayden. Unfortunately for the older man, he would be accompanying Jayden to the Rose house tomorrow.

With a sigh, Jayden pressed his fingers to his temples. He'd done a search on the cards; no one had business cards or anything resembling them. His murderer took the time to actually make these "infinity" cards. A do-it-yourself type. That should've made it easier, but this guy wasn't an idiot.

The attack on Luke Page confused Jayden. Thus far, their murderer had only shown the cool, calculating side of himself. So, either this wasn't the same person, or their guy had a temper. Jayden was betting on the latter. But what would cause him to react so violently?

Lydia. It had to be her. This guy was focused solely on her, most likely reacting to the things she did. He'd exploded after seeing her with Luke. He'd temporarily lost his ability to remain a shadow within a shadow, unseen and unheard.

What about the murdered women, though? There'd been no signs of rape or torture, just a clean cut from ear to ear. There had been no struggle. They hadn't suspected him of anything. They'd trusted this man.

His thoughts were racing. If the murderer's actions were only _reactions_ to Lydia, what could she have done to make him go around killing these women? Was it anger? Jealousy? With that thought, he nodded once. It was a definite possibility.

Jayden's eyes widened when another thought came to him. If it was jealousy that made this murderer act, one could expect him to kill again. _Soon_. He'd obviously been less than happy to see Luke with Lydia. Would he try to finish the job - take out Page? Or would he choose a smaller target - another woman?

And it was all just to get back at Lydia! The murders were a punishment! She didn't know it, but he was doing it in an attempt to make her behave in a more 'appropriate' way. He remembered Lydia quoting the man:

_"She's gone. I did it. Be careful, Lydia."_

An obvious warning. She'd apparently not taken it the way he'd intended. How could she have? If the misunderstanding had annoyed him, seeing her with Luke had surely had him seething. His temper would have to be his downfall, Jayden thought.

Jayden looked at his watch again. 10:34 P.M. With the lack of evidence, he doubted he'd get much further tonight. They'd visit the Rose family tomorrow and, with luck, they'd have something of importance to say. It was their only other lead, he thought with a frown. He tried to keep telling himself to remain hopeful.

On the way back to the hotel, he kept his promise and stopped to check on Lydia and her brother. She'd obviously been in bed; her hair was tousled and she was dressed scantily in an over-sized t-shirt. He forced himself to ignore that fact. "Everything's okay?"

"Yeah," she said, nodding. "Thank you for coming over." She smiled and he thought his heart stopped for a second. How curious.

He returned her smile. "It's good to know that everyone's fine here. If you need me to be, I can try to be by here at the same time tomorrow night? Oh, and this is my number - in case something comes up." He handed her a slip of paper.

"Thank you. I'd appreciate it if you came over again. Knowing that you were coming by tonight, I was able to calm down a little. I still can't shake this feeling of being watched, though."

Probably because she _was_ being watched, Jayden thought. "Things will be resolved soon, Lydia."

"If you're sure, I can believe it, too."

Jayden nodded, saying, "Well, good night. Stay safe."

"You too. Good night." She closed the door and he listened as she locked it up tight. Satisfied, he turned and went back to his car. He needed to get some rest; he had a long day ahead of him, he could tell. He always could...

* * *

Brant pulled into the driveway. "Well, here we are. It's obvious that she lived with her parents, isn't it?" Jayden wasn't touching that. "Let's get this over with." They both got out of the car and walked up to the door. Brant knocked.

Dogs went crazy on the other side of the door. "Ankle-biters," Brant said, making a face. "Probably a shit-load of Chihuahuas and Yorkies." He shook his head, his disapproval apparent.

It'd be another minute before the door finally opened. A woman peeked out. They both flashed their identification card/badge. With a sigh, she opened the door a little more and let them enter.

"Mrs. Rose? We'd like to ask you a few questions about your daughter." Brant had to step over a pug as it tried to jump all over his legs.

Glancing around, they both noticed that the house was a complete mess. Grief could do that to a person. The two small children in the other room were sitting on piles of clothes that were sitting on the couch. They were preoccupied by the television, so they paid the two strangers little mind. It was the dogs that wouldn't leave them be.

"I already told you people what I knew," the woman said, exasperated.

"Please, ma'am. You could have knowledge that will save someone's life." Brant nudged another pug away with his foot.

Mrs. Rose merely stared at them with tired eyes. She frowned, and then gestured for them to go into the next room - further away from the children. They all sat down.

"Can you tell us about Debbie? What was she like?" Brant decided to kick it off with the questions that would probably hurt the most.

Mrs. Rose fought off tears, raised her chin. "Debbie was a good girl. I didn't believe them when they told me that she worked at a place like that! She wanted to be a teacher!" She took a moment to calm herself. "I feel like I don't even know who she was now..."

"Had Debbie said anything about meeting someone? A man?" Jayden decided it was time to ask.

She made a face, thinking. "Actually, she'd said something about meeting the 'perfect man'. He was 'tall, dark and handsome. Every girl's dream.'"

"Did she mention a name?"

She shook her head now. "I can't remember, honestly. Seemed like she was with another man every other week." She sighed.

"So you never met him? He never dropped by to pick Debbie up?"

"No, he didn't." Her eyes widened and she said, "The day before she was found, flowers came for her, though. They're upstairs in her room. I haven't been in there since..." She trailed off, shook her head. "If it will help you, you can take a look."

"Thank you." Jayden stood. "I think I'll take a look around."

"Her room's to the left of the stairs, the door on the right."

Jayden left Brant to continue the interview. He ascended the stairs and went into the room. It was clean. Very pink. It even had a floral scent - nothing like what he'd seen of the rest of the house.

There was a vase full of red carnations. Strange for this time of year. Maybe their guy had a green thumb, too? Using his ARI device, he found Joshua Ward's fingerprints. Twenty-three years old, works at a pizza place - _huh?_ - and was arrested two years ago for assaulting a minor.

It was a lead, whether he liked it or not. Jayden tucked the glasses away and went back downstairs. Brant had been waiting for him. Mrs. Rose...was crying. Jayden looked at Brant and the man shrugged, averting his gaze.

"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Rose," Jayden said and they left.

"What a waste."

"No, I got something." Even if this guy wasn't the murderer, he might be able to point them in the right direction.

* * *

"Now _that_ was a colossal waste of time." Brant wasn't happy. They'd gotten Joshua's address from his work place, and after paying him a visit, they'd only found out that he'd accepted fifteen dollars to drop the flowers off. Josh had told them that the guy who'd paid him had worn a ski mask, but he was a white man who had 'green...or maybe blue' eyes. Not helpful.

"What do you think? Should we check out the other families?"

"Can't hurt," Jayden said with a shrug.

So they'd visited the Moore family. Lindsey Moore - the murdered woman - had not lived with her parents, but she'd had a very close relationship with them both. She'd received flowers, too - daffodils. She'd only mentioned going out to eat with a 'friend'. Looked like they were having Chinese for dinner...

At the restruant, they questioned some of the employees. They either didn't remember or hadn't noticed anything strange about the couple. Their guy could _blend_. And now Jayden was thinking something else; at first, he'd thought the murderer was awkward around people, even standoffish. Now it seemed more like he was kind, charming, easy to like and even trust-worthy. His victims had gotten a real surprise.

Brant was quickly losing patience and hope as they drove back to the station. He'd fallen silent - strange, as he was a very talkative man. Jayden wasn't going to question it, though. He could go over what little they'd learned now. There had to be something.

"I guess I'll write up a report. We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow."

"Right," Jayden said on a sigh.

"Talk to you later, Norm." With that, Brant was gone.

Jayden had grown used to the nickname. Brant was the type to give everyone a nickname, probably in an attempt to 'bond' with people because Jayden didn't get the asshole vibe from him. Not everyone enjoyed receiving a nickname from a complete stranger, though. Still, Brant made it work - somehow.

Long day... He'd probably head back to the hotel and try to sleep. He'd slept fitfully the other night, and that was probably playing with his mind now. His watch showed him that it was nearly 9:00 P.M. That fact had him groaning.

They needed this guy to slip up. _Soon_. Otherwise, another-

His phone went crazy, bringing him out of his thoughts. He answered with, "Jayden."

"_It's Lydia!_" And she sounded frantic. "_There's someone trying to get into the house! Hurry, please!_"

"I'm on my way! Stay on the line with me, Lydia. What's going on?" He rushed by some of the officers. He pushed the door open and raced to his car.

"_He's banging on the door! Sounds like he's trying to break it down._"

He could hear someone - Konnor - sobbing, crying out for Lydia. Shit. _Shit_! "Just stay calm." Even he was struggling to keep his voice level, though. "I'm moving as fast as I can. Lydia? Lydia, what's happening?"

She'd been cooing softly to her brother, but now she was eerily quiet. "_He's yelling something_," she whispered into the phone. "_My name._"

Glass shattered on the other end. She screamed and, from the sound of it, dropped the phone. The dog was barking crazily and he could hear Lydia telling her brother to go upstairs and hide.

"Lydia! Lydia! Pick up the phone! Damn it!" He ended the call, his eyes narrowed on the road. He clutched the steering wheel, his knuckles going white. He was tense. Focused...

* * *

**Chapter 5**: complete! OMG(osh)!


	7. The Trigger

**Author's Note: **I've not updated in a while. My apologies! Well, here are a few more chapters! :D

* * *

_The Trigger_

* * *

Jayden practically jumped out of his car. He reached the door, knocked rapidly. "Lydia! Lydia, it's Norman! Open up!" He kept knocking until the door finally opened. "Lydia..." He took her by the arm, looking her over for injuries.

"He broke the window... I thought he'd get in." She hugged him tightly, her fingers digging into his shoulders even through his coat. She let out a shaky breath, allowing herself to lean into him, to be aware of him as a man, as someone warm and strong and willing to protect her.

"Where's Konnor?"

"Upstairs, in his room. I made him hide." She went to close the door after she released him. "Konnor!" she called.

The boy rushed down, tear tracks staining his face. He wrapped his arms around his sister, continued to sob. But they were both okay, Jayden thought with a sigh. Even Chester was at ease now, wagging his tail after coming downstairs and seeing Jayden. He rested a hand on the dog's head.

"Shh..." Lydia stroked Konnor's hair. "We're okay, baby. It was all noise."

"He broke the window, Lydia! He was gonna try to get in, wasn't he?"

"Don't worry about that now. Mr. Jayden's here and he'll take care of this." She sounded so sure. Of course, if she wanted to calm the child, she'd have to make him believe it, too.

"This guy will be in custody soon," Jayden said with a nod. "You guys will not be hurt." It was a promise.

Konnor looked over at him, wiping his nose on sleeve. He looked back up at Lydia and she smiled at him. That seemed to reassure him. "Why don't you take Chester up to bed now?"

"You'll be up soon, right?" He didn't want to be without her.

"Of course." They both watched as the boy patted his leg - successfully gaining the dog's attention - and led the way back upstairs.

As soon as she knew Konnor was in the bedroom, she sat on the couch, her head in her hands. She looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. She shuddered and Jayden knew that she was crying, but she suffered in silence. With a soft sigh, he sat on the other end of the couch.

"I'm sorry," he said.

She shook her head, wouldn't look up at him. "You shouldn't be. You're not the one trying to terrorize a woman and a small child."

"No, I'm not, but..." He shook his head, standing. Now she looked at him, her eyes wide with fear and tears streaking her face. "I'm going to look around." She nodded and watched as he crouched to examine the broken glass. It didn't look like anything was thrown; he'd been so angry, he'd simply punched the window. "I'm going outside."

He did, slipping on the ARI glasses and glove. The reading showed him some footprints.

_Object memorized. _

"The footprints come from the north-west and head back in that direction..." Walking with the prints showed him that the man had opted to remain on the road - leaving behind nothing after that. The one time someone could curse snow plows and salt... What if this guy lived close by?

Jayden returned to the house. Lydia was pacing restlessly. She rubbed her arms as though she were cold, gnawed on her bottom lip. "What do I do?" she asked him.

Lydia pressed two fingers to her temple. The headaches... She had them more often and they were _intense_. Her heart and thoughts were racing. She needed a solution!

"In the morning, I think you should call someone about the window. For now, I want you to go upstairs and get some rest." He spoke softly, reasonably.

She closed her eyes tightly. "I won't be able to sleep after this." She disappeared for a second, returned with a broom and dustpan. She swept up the glass. "I'm scared," she told him.

"Anyone would be. Listen, I'm thinking about your offer-"

"You'll come stay here? You won't have to pay for anything! I'll cook meals and everything. It'll be kind of like staying at a hotel."

"Yeah... I just have to go get my things." He needed to do this. She was in danger and he couldn't fail her and her brother.

"Wait." She went to retrieve a spare house key. "I'll be upstairs with Konnor. If I can't get away from him to show you to your room, it's the one at the end of hall on the left."

"Thanks."

"No... _Thank you_."

After promising to return as quickly as possible, he left. If Jayden hadn't believed that this guy was angry before, there was no denying it now. He'd gone after Lydia and, from the looks of things, he'd intended to get a little rough with her. There was no telling what would have happened. What had made him run off, though?

Jayden retrieved his things and handled business with the front desk agent quickly. With a sigh, he got into his car and started back to the house. When he got there, he almost knocked, but then remembered that he had a key. He used it, though it felt a little strange. He looked inside, noticed that the kitchen light was on...and Lydia was sitting on the couch. "You're still up," he murmured.

"Yeah," she said with a slight nod. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, trying to protect herself from the cold. He closed the door behind him. "You're tired, right? I bet you and your colleagues are always tired in your line of work," she mused. "You want something to eat first? I can make something."

He could tell that she was looking for something to distract her, to keep her from thinking too much. He glanced over, noticed that she'd tacked a blanket up to cover the broken window. Even so, the room was still cold.

"I...guess I could eat something."

She nodded, rising to her feet. He followed her into the kitchen, noticing how her bare feet made no noise, how her long, chocolate colored hair caressed her waist. She glanced back at him and he immediately looked up, meeting her gaze. She stared at him for a moment, and then asked, "I have to go to the store again soon... I can make you a grilled cheese sandwich. I can put ham or turkey on it, if you want."

"I can eat both, so it doesn't matter which one you put on it."

She nodded a little, dragging a pan out and putting it on the stove. "If it were earlier in the day, I'd prepare some tomato soup, too."

"I understand. Don't worry about it." He wasn't _that_ hungry.

"Konnor likes tomato soup," she murmured absently, "especially on cold, dreary days." He watched her as she prepared a couple of the sandwiches after finding the bread, cheese, butter and ham. "Do you like yours a little charred?" she asked him.

He couldn't think properly when she was just standing there in an over-sized shirt, shifting nervously. His eyes were drawn to her shapely legs and bottom. He blinked when she half-turned to face him. When he re-opened his eyes, he made sure that he was looking at her face. Her eyes held a question, and then he remembered that she'd asked him something. "Ah... Sure."

She offered him a small, tentative smile. "Thank you for doing this," she said. "I feel a lot safer now."

"I'm glad," he said, meaning it. He eased himself into one of the two chairs and she placed a plate in front of him. "Thanks," he murmured, deciding to dig in almost immediately. She turned off the stove before sitting in the chair across from him. "You know," he started after swallowing a bite of the sandwich, "you should try to get some rest. I think I can find the room by myself, not that I don't appreciate the help." He shrugged.

She nodded slowly. "If you're sure. Thanks again, Mr. Jayden," she murmured. He could tell that she was tired. It was in her eyes, in the way she spoke. She stood and left the room, he listened as the old stairs creaked under her weight and then fell silent.

He sighed and continued eating. He couldn't decide if he'd done the right thing or not. His protective instincts had roared to life immediately upon seeing her and the child in her charge. On the other hand, he didn't know how well he'd be able to focus here. The child was small and ever-curious. The woman was...just plain distracting.

Jayden got to his feet, washing his own plate and storing it away in the cabinet he'd seen Lydia retrieve it from. With another sigh, he headed up the stairs. They groaned under him, the sort of noise that could plague a child's nightmares. At the end of the hall, he went into the room on the left.

The room was white and plain, but smelled fresh and clean, as if the linens had been washed recently and the wooden floors had been thoroughly scrubbed of dirt. He closed the door behind him and sat on the bed to remove his shoes. He shrugged off his jacket and loosened his tie. He was so tired that he only had to lean back and touch his head to the pillow before he was _out_...

* * *

"Good morning, Mr. Jayden!" Konnor greeted happily the next morning. Chester stood up and shook his mass of golden fur before greeting Jayden as well. Jayden merely patted the dog's head.

He hesitated briefly, and then said, "Hey, Konnor."

"Lydia told me that you're staying to protect us," he said, losing his smile. He'd seen things that he shouldn't have in his young life, and Jayden meant to make sure that he never witnessed such a thing again.

"That's true," he said with a nod. "Where is your sister?"

Konnor grinned suddenly. "She remembered the milk, but forgot the cereal. She was gonna go to the store, anyway." He shrugged.

"Does your sister leave you by yourself often?"

Again, Konnor lost his smile. This time, his eyes darkened and he glared at Jayden briefly. He didn't answer the question, only continued watching television. Chester sighed and hopped up on the couch with the boy, resting his head in Konnor's lap. "Lydia made coffee." That was all he chose to say.

"Konnor!" Lydia's voice from outside. "Can you open the door for me?"

Jayden was closer, so he beat the boy to it. "I didn't hear a car," he said.

"I walked. It's not too far away." She let him take the bags when he reached for them. "Thank you," she said on a sigh. "My arms are killing me." But she was smiling.

Konnor's frown deepened. "Lydia..."

"Don't worry, sweetie." She leaned down, placing a kiss in his hair. They all piled into the kitchen. "Alright!" Lydia clapped when Jayden placed the bags on the counter. "Mr. Jayden, what would you like for breakfast? I can make you eggs and bacon. Konnor, do you still want cereal?"

Konnor sat at the small table, swinging his legs. He didn't answer for a moment. Lydia looked at him, her concern evident. "Yeah," he finally muttered, staring at the table-top.

She made him his bowl of cereal before going back to Jayden. Konnor looked at them out of the corner of his eye, his anger spiking. He rolled his eyes, but started eating as Lydia prepared some fried eggs. He glared at the back of Jayden's head when the man found the cups and poured himself some coffee.

Konnor ate his food in a hurry and returned to the living room. That FBI-guy was clueless, he thought as he fought to get his coat on and zipped. He dragged on his boots and gloves before he put his hat on. Being suspended wasn't fun. It was boring. Luckily, he'd be going back to school tomorrow. He opened the door, stepping outside and facing the biting winds.

Konnor's eyes were immediately drawn to the man that was walking along the side-walk. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his coat, his arms tight against his sides to better protect himself from the cold. When he heard the door close, he looked back and caught Konnor's eye. He smiled, baring pearly white teeth. He pulled a hand out of his pocket and waved happily, but never stopped walking.

Konnor waved back.

* * *

"You can use the study if you need to," Lydia told Jayden, opening the door to the room. It was bigger than he thought it would have been. There were a few bookshelves, all of which were packed with books. The desk was off to one side, accompanied by a computer chair with a high back. "I'll tell Konnor that the room is off-limits while you're in here, and that he'll have to be quiet."

"Thank you, Lydia."

She nodded her head, turning away, her pretty yellow dress flowing behind her. He couldn't help himself. He asked her, "Are you going somewhere today?"

She looked back at him, nodding again. "Yes. I'm going to visit Luke for a minute, and then go for lunch with another friend."

"What about Konnor?"

"He'll stay with Luke. They're done observing him, so he's back at home now. I don't expect this meeting to last very long, anyway." She said it with sad eyes. "Vince is a very busy man. It's a miracle he managed to find the time he did today." She laughed a little, saying, "Hopefully I didn't just jinx him." She noted the look on Jayden's face. "Oh! Vince Melrose and I used to work at the same place; he's still a neurologist there." She gave a shrug.

He stared at her for a long moment. She shifted nervously under his gaze. "You have to be careful, Lydia. This guy has made it abundantly clear that he's willing to kill others, that he's willing to threaten you and Konnor."

Immediately, her expression changed. She didn't look fearful. She looked like she was in another world entirely. She wasn't even looking at him now. He took a step towards her, snapping her out of her daze. "I'll be careful," she promised. Nothing could happen to her, not when Konnor still relied so heavily on her. "I'm going now," she told him. He nodded a little and watched as she descended the stairs, calling for Konnor.

The boy jumped at the chance to see Luke. It was obvious that he loved the man. "Come on, Lydia!"

"Luke's not going anywhere," she said, laughing. "He's waiting on you so the two of you can play video games." She wrapped an arm around the boy's head when he hugged her around the waist. "Just remember, no rough-housing or anything too stren..."

The door closed behind them and Jayden sighed. He'd take a shower and head off to the station to continue the investigation with Syd. Had he just used the man's nickname? _Great..._

* * *

**Chapter:** complete! After planning some things out, this should run a lot more smoothly. Thanks for reading!


	8. The Amaryllis

**Author's Note: **this one feels _really_ short, even for this story... Hope you enjoy!

* * *

_The Amaryllis_

* * *

"Hey, Jayden." Brant came into his office almost two hours after he'd arrived. "Just got a call. Seems related to the 'Mercy Killer' crimes."

_So soon...?_ Why? Debbie Rose hadn't even been dead for four days! Obviously, their guy was getting agitated. If Lydia really was the reason behind his behavior, what could she have done this time? "Let's go," he said aloud, getting to his feet. Sydney gave a stiff nod.

"Why don't you drive this time?" Syd didn't wait for his response, only climbed into the passenger seat. Jayden gave a small sigh as he slid into the car, taking the wheel.

They made it to the scene, getting by the other officers easily enough. Upstairs, in apartment 4, they found the blood and death. "Has she been positively ID'ed?" Jayden questioned, staring down at the pretty blonde woman.

One of the guys checked his clip-board, "Bernadette Daniels, twenty-nine years old." He glanced up at Jayden, finally noticing that he was wearing sunglasses indoors. He quirked a curious brow, but said nothing.

_Bernadette Daniels, twenty-nine years old. She's got a record, too._ Jayden's gaze narrowed a little. He continued to stare at the blonde beauty, at her red painted lips. A former drug-dealer turned druggie... Now he could see the deep scars marring her arms.

They waited until after the scene had been photographed to get to work. So far, it seemed much like the other "Mercy Killer" crimes. There was a clean cut from ear-to-ear and no signs of a struggle. The woman held a single flower between her fingers, obviously posed. Jayden leaned down to get a closer look. An amaryllis. A slip of paper peeked out from under her tiny wrist. He slid it out from under her.

"_First warning. Get out of that house._"

Jayden's eyes narrowed dangerously. Below the sloppily written note was a single line, most likely representing the 'first' warning. This guy knew who and what he was...and what he was doing here. Jayden had only just relocated! This guy's retaliation had been swift and merciless.

"You get something, Norm?"

Jayden's replaced the note and rose to his full height, shrugging. Glancing around, he saw the vase filled with the amaryllis flowers. The reading from the ARI offered him very little. He stared at those flowers, though. Red with a dusting of white...

"Hey, check this out." Brant dragged him out of his thoughts.

"What is it?" he asked, stepping around Daniels' body. He slid the ARI glasses off of his face and tucked them away, doing the same with the glove.

"Don't know yet."

On the fridge was a note, Bernadette reminding herself in pretty handwriting to: _meet Shamrock, 8:00 PM. Tuesday. _Who was this Shamrock character? 'Shamrock' was surely a nickname. The note did not give them any other information, either. A location would have been nice...

"Well," Brant started, sighing heavily, "time to take a closer look, I think."

* * *

Konnor packed the snow tightly before throwing it at the side of the house. Lydia was inside making vegetable soup. He liked vegetable soup on days like this. It warmed him from the inside-out. Just the thought of it had him smiling.

With a sigh, the boy lowered himself down into the snow, making a snow angel. When he heard footfalls nearby, he sat up. "Oh! It's you again!"

The man stopped and turned to face Konnor. "Ah... Yeah. I pass by here pretty frequently, don't I?" He laughed easily.

"Yeah," Konnor said with a smile.

"I work down that way." The man pointed. "I'm on my way home now." He tilted his head to one side, saying, "You look pretty lonely out here all by yourself."

Konnor sighed, his breath turning to fog and drifting with the wind. "Yeah..." He smiled again, his eyes bright when he looked up. "I'm Konnor!"

The man's smile was bright, pearly. He crouched down, holding his right hand out for Konnor to take. "You can call me King."

"'King'?" Konnor made a face even as he extended his hand. He noted the size difference immediately, feeling a little intimidated. "That's not your real name, is it?"

"Well, it's part of my real name." The man shrugged his broad shoulders. "Better than what my other friends call me. And from now on, you and I are gonna be friends. Would you like that?"

Reassured, Konnor gave a nod. "Yeah!"

"Alright, then. Would you mind if I called you 'Knight'?"

"King and Knight?" Konnor had to laugh. "Okay."

"Great! Well, I should really get going. I'll see you later."

"Bye, King." Konnor waved as the man started walking away. King waved back, still smiling.

* * *

The forensic guys didn't seem to like Brant very much, Jayden thought with a soft frown. Briefly, he thought about that, but then thought about the note that the killer had left behind - for _him_ to find. Whether Jayden liked it or not, he was now in this guy's line of sight.

The killer felt rushed. He needed to get his message across - somehow. If he rushed his kills, he'd be more likely to make mistakes, right?

His thoughts had his scowl darkening by the second. He didn't want to have to sacrifice anyone. Thing was, he had no good leads - and the killer knew that. There'd be no reason to rush everything when they had nothing to go on and his victims were chosen at random, with no noticeable similarities.

Jayden muttered a string of swears under his breath, feeling the pressure. It was building and building. Eventually, things were going to blow up... If this case wasn't solved soon, there was no telling who would get hurt, who would be caught in the cross-fire.

Lydia could be hurt... He could practically see bruises staining her pale skin, her frail, slender body broken and tossed aside like so much trash. A muscle jerked in his jaw. He shuddered at the thought of little Konnor bloodied, _dead_, staring up at him with wide, accusing eyes. He shook his head. He wouldn't allow it. _Couldn't _allow it. That was it, then. He'd found his resolve.

* * *

**Chapter: **complete! Thanks for reading.


	9. Night Eyes

**Author's Note: **here's the next chapter! :D

* * *

_Night Eyes_

* * *

"Konnor," Jayden got the boy's attention later that day. He'd left the office a little before eight, and he had to admit - at least to himself - that it felt a little strange. Konnor was still up and full of energy; he was used to getting here later, when the boy was fast asleep.

"Yeah?" He looked at Jayden, and his eyes seemed too old. It was the same look that Lydia gave him sometimes. Those were eyes that had seen too much, souls that had suffered for too long.

"Do you have a leash for Chester?"

Konnor tilted his head to one side, curious. "Yeah. Why?"

"You wanna go for a walk?" Some surveillance work seemed in order. How was the killer able to keep tabs on Lydia?

"Sure, but I have to tell Lyd."

Jayden nodded and watched him go upstairs. He returned shortly after, Lydia following after him. She met his eye, and there was no denying the fear there. He smiled to reassure her. Nothing would happen to Konnor. She watched as they pulled on their winter gear.

Konnor retreived the leash and Chester jumped off the couch, realizing the boy's intentions. In his excitement, he beat Jayden's leg with his overly-happy tail. With the leash latched onto his collar, Chester practically jumped for joy. "Can you handle him?" Jayden asked.

"Lydia normally does," Konnor told him, sighing. "He's too powerful and gets distracted sometimes. He'll drag me."

Jayden held his hand out and Konnor placed the other end of the leash in it. "Be back in a minute," Jayden promised Lydia. She gave a slight nod and watched them leave.

They walked the side-walk, first up, and then down. Jayden's eyes scanned everything, searching for the killer's advantageous position. Where could he watch the house without being noticed?

Konnor coughed, distracting Jayden. He hadn't noticed before, but he'd slowed down to match the boy's shorter strides. Konnor's head was bowed, his eyes trained on his feet. "What's wrong, Konnor?"

He looked up, seemed surprised that Jayden would ask. He shook his head. "It's nothing."

"You're sure...?"

Konnor was silent for a long moment. They were already heading back for the house. They had to stop when Chester did. He sniffed a light-post before moving on. Konnor sighed, running a hand through his chocolate colored hair. He was stressed and confused. It was obvious.

"You can tell me anything you need to, Konnor. I'm here to help you."

"You keep saying that," he said, his gaze skittering away from him.

"Because it's true."

Chester stopped again, lifting his head and scenting the wind. He remained that way for a long moment before snorting and continuing his brisk walk, forcing Jayden to tug on the leash a couple of times to rein him in. All the while, Jayden's eyes moved. It was too dark to spot an enemy, especially if he had hidden himself away. He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched now, though. This guy definitely had a way of making people feel like prey.

But, Jayden thought, this wouldn't play out like he thought it would. The fox may be chasing the mice for now, frolicking and sure of himself, but the hound would catch up with him eventually. When that time came, justice would be dispensed.

"I'm not the one that needs protected," Konnor said suddenly. Jayden looked down at him, curious. "When you came, I thought that you would be taking care of us," he said, and he sounded so sad and so lost that Jayden felt his heart react. "Turns out," he started, letting his anger surface, "that she's taking care of you like she takes care of me."

Jayden could only stare at the boy. What was it? Did he feel threatened with someone else coming into his home? No... Jayden sensed that there was something else, buried deep. Something that Konnor didn't want to think about, something that plagued his nightmares.

"What is it, Konnor?" he questioned softly.

"She can't do it, Mr. Jayden. She can't!"

Chester barked, reacting to Konnor's in-suppressible emotions. He whined, going to his pack-mate. Konnor buried his fingers in the dog's golden fur, tears running unchecked down his face.

"I don't understand, Konnor." Jayden turned to face the boy fully.

"_Lydia's hurt_."

* * *

Jayden sat at the desk in the study. He dragged a hand down the length of his face. He kept replaying the night's events in his head. He couldn't get Konnor's little voice out of his mind. His chest had actually felt tight; he'd held his breath, dreading what the boy would tell him.

Konnor could not tell him what had happened; he only knew that he'd been in the hospital with his sister soon after their parents had died. He could still remember her face, contorted with anger, with pain. He could remember her waking up in the middle of the night, screaming. She still woke up sometimes, but she left the room to cry. He _hated_ it. He knew something was wrong, that she was weak, but didn't know what he was supposed to do, how he was supposed to help.

He had to stop thinking about this, he thought. He had a job to do. The sooner he figured all of this out, the sooner Lydia could go on living without fear, without having to look over her shoulder.

A soft knock at the door had him sitting up straight. She cracked the door, "Mr. Jayden?"

"Yes?"

She opened the door, leaning in a little. "I'll make coffee. Are you planning on going to bed soon?" She offered him a small smile.

He shook his head. "Thanks." She nodded and went off to do as she'd said, closing the door behind her.

With a sigh, he looked over his notebook. As tired and as distracted as he was, his own writing looked like a bunch of illegible scribbles. He blinked a few times, trying to bring it all into focus. He'd probably read this over a hundred times, trying to find something that he had to be missing.

His gaze fell on the "infinity" card. Lydia had happily given it to him, saying that she'd die happy if she never saw it again. Silly thing to say, he thought absently. He wasn't going to let her die. The Aldaine siblings didn't seem to have much faith in him or the law itself.

_Debbie Rose - Carnation. The carnation symbolizes such things as impulsiveness and joy. _

_ Bernadette Daniels - Amaryllis. The amaryllis symbolizes such things as pride and beauty. _

Obviously, the flowers held some meaning. The victims before these two recent ones had all had different flowers delivered to them, as well. They were the only difference concerning these crimes, really. What significance did they hold?

He looked up when the door was pushed open slowly. Her bottom entered the room first. She held two cups of coffee. "That was a pain," she murmured as she approached the desk.

"I would have opened the door if I'd known you were out there..." He was so out of it, he hadn't even heard the stairs creaking under her. Then again, she appeared very slight, even more so than when he'd first met her only a few days ago.

She only smiled and placed a cup before him. "I watched how you prepared your coffee," she told him, her smile widening.

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it."

"Right. Well, good night, Mr. Jayden." She turned away and started for the door.

"You can call me Jayden," he told her, causing her to look back at him. "Or just Norman," he said with a shrug.

She stared at him for a moment with those big eyes of hers. Her smile returned and she nodded. "Okay," she said. She glanced away, looked back at him, "Good night, then, Norman. Make sure you get some sleep, okay? It's not good to neglect your health." She was frowning now.

"Uh... Yeah. Good night, Lydia." He watched her go and then rested his chin in his palm. After a moment, he shook his head and lifted the cup of coffee to his lips. It burned his throat going down, but he thought nothing of it.

Alright, then... Back to trying to sort out this puzzle...

* * *

**Chapter:** complete! Working on the next chapter already! Thanks for reading!


	10. Sparks Flying

**Author's note: **I freaked out for a second because I thought Luke had the same last name as Madison Paige (didn't want that!). Close, but no. XD

* * *

_Sparks Flying_

* * *

"Luke is here! Luke is here!" Konnor chimed as he jumped down the stairs. He went to the door, opening it up for the blonde man. "Luke!"

"'Ey, little bro!" Luke hugged the boy tightly even as Konnor stepped on both of his feet. Luke walked, rather awkwardly, into the house and closed the door.

"Luke," Lydia started, frowning, "do you think you should be driving? You're still recovering."

"Don't worry about me, sweet girl. Nothing can keep me down for long." He smiled. "How are you holding up?" he asked her, waddling over to her. Konnor looked up at him then, digging his chin into the man's sternum.

Lydia shrugged, saying, "We're still here."

"That doesn't tell me much," he grumbled. She knew that if he were at all capable, he'd be the one protecting them. The need was in his face, in his eyes.

"We're fine, Luke." She offered him a small smile.

"You should let me take you guys out," he said. "It's the weekend. We should do something fun!"

"Lydia!" Konnor turned to face his sister, his eyes sparkling happily. "Can we?"

"What'd you have in mind?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I can take you guys out to eat, and then we can go back to my place to hang out. Later today, we should go to the park."

"It's cold outside, Luke." Konnor frowned now.

Luke smiled. "You've not been to the park recently, have you?"

This time of year, the trees surrounding the playground would be glowing with an assortment of colors in anticipation for Christmas. There would be inflatables and larger light displays. People went there a lot to take pictures.

"No," Konnor said, shaking his head.

"Lyd, do you want to go?"

Lydia remained silent for a long moment. "If you guys want to go, you can."

"Lydia, you can't keep yourself locked up in the house." Luke's eyes were sad. "You still have a life that needs to be lived."

She ruffled Konnor's hair when he rushed over to hug her hips. "I'll be fine," she told them. "You two should go, though."

"What time do you want him back?" Luke asked, looking a little defeated.

"I want to spend the night at Luke's!" Konnor told her, looking up at her with big, brown _pleading _eyes. "Please, Lyd!"

She looked to Luke again and he smiled, shrugging. "Sounds like fun," he said.

"That's fine, so long as Luke is okay with it."

"Yes!" Konnor jumped back over to Luke, taking the man's hand. He stared at their hands for a moment, taking in the size difference, the warmth that Luke gave off. He was reminded of his father.

They all turned to the stairs when they started groaning under a man's weight. Jayden appeared, freshly showered and righting his tie. His steely blue eyes landed on their company. Luke straightened, clearing his throat. This had to be the FBI guy that Konnor had told him about.

Luke introduced himself and the other man nodded. "I've heard a lot about you. How are you?"

"Better," Luke said. "Thanks for askin'." The guy seemed decent enough, Luke thought as he gave Jayden the once-over. He looked down at Konnor, "Why don't you go get everything you need and we'll leave?"

"Alright!" The boy dashed up the stairs.

"Konnor's leaving?" Jayden asked, looking at Lydia. She only nodded.

"Yeah. I'll bring him back tomorrow afternoon. Is that okay, Lyd?"

She nodded, saying, "I'll be here."

_Of course you will be_, he thought with a sigh. "Cool," he decided to say.

Jayden leaned back against a wall, observing body posture and listening to the sound of their voices as they addressed one another. There was familiarity there, but also a bridge that neither of them dared to cross.

"Be safe, sweet girl," Luke murmured, wrapping her up in his arms. She returned his hug.

"Konnor!" she called when she pulled out of Luke's embrace. "Don't make Luke wait forever!"

"I'm coming!" He rushed down the stairs, a messenger bag stuffed with his things slung over his shoulder. He handed it off to Luke so he could put on his coat and hat. He stored his gloves in his coat pockets. "I'm ready!"

She smiled at her brother before leaning down to place a small kiss on his cheek. He groaned and she laughed at him. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you, too. Bye, Lyd! Bye, Mr. Jayden!" He jumped over to the door and ran out.

"Wait for me, little dude!" Luke shook his head with a bright smile. "See you later!" He waved and they were gone.

Lydia sighed and looked at him now. Just a moment ago, she had appeared lively and happy. Now she looked tired again; darkness stained pale skin beneath her eyes. She wore a mask around others, then. Part of him thought her protective and courageous, another part of him thought she seemed more like a frightened child, wanting to hide away, and yet another part of him wanted to read too deeply into the fact that she wasn't hiding her despair from him...

She acted as though she were under compulsion for a moment. He watched as she approached. She did not meet his gaze, but stared at his chest. Reaching up, her fingers - soft and warm - grazed the side of his face. Unerringly, she found the scar on his right cheek. She ran her fingers back and forth, as if memorizing the feel of his skin.

Just as quickly, her hand dropped away. She turned and walked into the kitchen. Jayden just stood there for a moment. Such a strange display of..._what_, exactly? He shook his head and trailed after her. He found her popping pills and downing some sort of juice.

"Lydia...?"

She looked at him from over her shoulder, her expression pained. He blinked and she was facing him completely, a small smile on her face. "Yes?"

"Is something wrong?" Her smile died immediately. "Forgive me if it sounds like I'm prying, but your brother told me..."

"Konnor does not know all of the facts," she muttered.

"He said as much. It's obvious that he worries about you, though."

She dragged a hand through her hair, sighing. "It's true. I've allowed him to see things that he shouldn't have. He's been my shoulder to cry on." She ducked her head, ashamed. "That was foolish on my part. That's too much responsibility for someone so young! To have to deal with his broken sister..."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked her, leaning one hip against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.

She looked up at him again, biting into her bottom lip mercilessly. She turned away and poured him a cup of coffee. As she did so, she said, "It was a long time ago... My father was in law enforcement and he'd arrested an arsonist. Turns out, the arsonist had been far more than that." She handed him the cup, her head bowed as if she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"My parents were going on vacation," she continued. "I was supposed to watch Konnor for the couple of weeks that they would be gone. I went over to say good-bye and to wait for my brother to get home from school." She was spilling her guts to this man, she thought. She realized that she found him easy to talk to; he was quiet, listening to everything she said and, when she dared to glance up at him, he even looked like he _cared_.

"That guy turned up again," she said. "He had rigged their car to explode, hoping to get back at my father. My parents were killed. I was caught in the blaze."

At first, he struggled to speak. He uttered his sincere condolences before asking her, "What happened after that? Konnor says that you're still hurt."

"I...have trouble at times, yes. I was too close to the blast and I broke my arm, got some burns and a nasty spinal fracture." She shrugged. "I'm fine most of the time, but I have to take something for pain when my own body decides it doesn't like me all that much." She tried to laugh it off. "Some officers went to retrieve Konnor from the school and brought him to me while I was in the hospital. We stayed there until I was able to move."

"Does Konnor know what really happened?"

"He doesn't know about the explosion, no. He knows that an evil man killed our parents, but I never told him that the man is the same person that hurt me."

"And he just watches you struggle through the day?"

Tears burned her eyes and nose. "No. He tries to help me when he catches me at my weakest. I try to hide it from him, but he knows. He's not stupid."

"No, he's not," Jayden agreed. "He's more aware than anyone thinks. He's scared he'll lose you, too."

"He told you this?" The tears started trickling down the length of her face. Jayden nodded. "I'll have to have a talk with him when he gets back. He's not going to lose me..."

"I know," Jayden murmured. He couldn't help himself; he reached up to touch her hair. It felt like silk against his skin. He crushed her hair in his fist before he noticed that she was staring at his mouth. She licked her lips, desire in her eyes.

As if in slow-motion, he leaned down. Her heart raced as she watched his descent. She was impatient for his kiss, but she held herself completely still. His lips found hers in a slow, drugging kiss. Her body responded so quickly to his touch, catching fire and surprising her with the intensity.

Jayden placed his cup of coffee on the counter beside him. He reached up, touching her tear-drenched face. His thumb brushed away the next couple of tears that dared to touch her cheek. He felt her shudder and move a little closer to him, seeking out his warmth, needing to feel his strength.

His hands found her hips and he pulled her against him. Her body, soft and pliant as it was, fit itself into him so completely, so beautifully, molding to fill every empty part of him. His hold on her tightened when her tongue caressed his lower lip, begging for entry. He opened for her, allowed her a small exploration before he took possession of her mouth with his own.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as their tongues met, sliding against and massaging one another. He captured her little whimper with his mouth and couldn't help the small smile that came to his face. He allowed her to pull her head away so that he was staring into her big, hazel eyes.

He enjoyed seeing her flushed face, the rise and fall of her chest as she panted. Her hands slid down and stopped at his chest as she lowered her gaze. "Is this...okay?" She felt the need to ask.

Every sane thought had been driven from his head by this point, which called for the response: "Who cares?"

And she laughed. A genuine laugh that had his heart melting.

Their time would be cut short, however. Jayden's phone went crazy and he pulled away from her to answer with, "Norman Jayden." At once, he sounded strictly professional. She wrapped her arms around herself, biting her bottom lip as she watched his face. "I'm going to the station," he told her when he ended the call. She only nodded. "Lock up tight," he said as they walked to the door.

"I will," she assured him. He left.

* * *

**Chapter: **complete!


	11. Jealousy

**Author's note: **have you ever wondered what it was like to be inside the mind of a killer? So have I.

* * *

_Jealousy _

* * *

He'd been smart to befriend the brother. The little birdie had spilled all after a few short minutes. Children were so trusting; they thought that there was good in every person, no matter how obviously demented they were. He would never hurt Konnor, no. In fact, the boy was under his protection. Konnor was his little brother as much as he was Lydia's.

His gaze narrowed when he saw an all too familiar car round the corner, surely on its way to Lydia's home. Luke Page. Obviously, neither had learned the lesson he'd thought to teach them. He ground his teeth with a shake of the head. He sped up, not enough to draw attention, but enough to get close to Lydia's house in order to see what was going on. Was Page staying for a while? Was Mr. Jayden still lounging around in her home, even though he'd made it perfectly clear that he was not wanted there?

He paused when the house came into view. From where he was, none of them would be able to see him; he was hidden by trees and hedges. He didn't have a memorable face, so anyone else who happened to notice him wouldn't think too much of him. At one time, he had hated that fact about himself, but later, he'd realized that it was a blessing in disguise.

He dragged a hand through his hair and let out a drawn-out sigh. He could see the two cars that didn't belong there. He felt a headache coming on. He'd given them all a warning; he couldn't be blamed for whatever happened after this.

His attention was drawn back to the house when he saw movement. Konnor, bright and bubbly, jumped over to Page's car. When Luke appeared, Konnor danced around him briefly and they both _laughed_. Looked like they'd be going somewhere. This had him frowning. His little family was being destroyed right in front of his eyes.

If Konnor was leaving...that left Jayden and Lydia alone in that tiny house. He swore heatedly. Konnor should know better than to leave his sister alone with strange men, even men that said they were there to "help" them. Maybe he'd try to work that into a conversation next time he saw the boy. He watched as the car pulled out of the drive-way and sped off down the street.

The temptation was strong, he thought. He felt the need to rush into the house and destroy, the need to _dominate_. He could do it, too. Walk in, kill Jayden _right in front of her_, and then take what was his. Maybe then she would finally understand? The thought had him smiling.

His smile died when he remembered that she was alone with Jayden. They could be doing anything right now. He could imagine her selling her innocence to that man, her need to feel "safe" too great. Had he done this? Made her run into another man's arms?

He shook his head with a low growl. He sounded more animal than man, even to his own ears. It would be her fault, he decided. She was perfectly safe with him, so long as she did what was expected out of her. So far, she'd failed miserably. She should count herself lucky that he hadn't punished her directly! Others had paid for her mistakes thus far, and it didn't seem to be enough to get her attention. He wouldn't be able to put up with the complete lack of respect for very much longer...

He thought about that as he started walking again. He crossed the street, walking along the side-walk that was closest to Lydia's home. The snow crunched beneath his feet, a sound that he was coming to _hate_. It was overly loud and alerted people to his presence. Even so, he found it funny that he could walk right under Jayden's nose without the man even realizing it. His smile returned for a split second.

But then he thought about her flushed skin, her little gasps of pain/pleasure and _that man's_ low, guttural groan as he took her. Bile rose in his throat. He was disgusted and - _damn it all!_ - scared. His fists clenched tightly and his anger rode him hard. He shook with his rage, struggled to get himself back under control. He couldn't allow the monster in him too much freedom. He would've been caught a long time ago had he done everything its way.

With effort, he fought the beast back into submission enough to be able to walk by her house. He glanced back, though, unable to help himself. He would've given anything to be in that house with her, surrounded by her, inhaling her intoxicating scent and touching her satin-soft skin. But he wasn't with her...

Lydia still didn't understand, he thought sadly. It was high-time she learned, though. Someone else would have to pay for her atrocious behavior... Luckily, he already had a poor, unfortunate soul waiting for his attention.

* * *

**Chapter:** complete. By far the shortest chapter I've ever written... It's not as dark as I wanted it to be, but thanks for reading! :D


	12. The Hyacinth

_The Hyacinth_

* * *

He waited, like the predator he was. No one could comprehend the importance of this meeting. He appeared calm, pleasant and approachable, but on the inside, he was raging. He felt like a storm with his emotions - all of them intense and confusing - roiling inside him. He took a deep breath, reached for the beer that had been placed before him. He tilted it back and took a swig.

His eyes scanned the frequent restaurant visitors. He knew them all, was friends with them all. His gaze landed on the bartender: a lanky, pale man with dark hair and haunting blue eyes. Out of all of them, the bartender was his closest friend. In fact, he claimed him as a brother.

He jolted when tiny hands fell on his shoulders. Feminine laughter grated on his nerves, but he hid it well. "Hey, you!" she greeted. "Did I scare you?"

He forced a laugh, saying, "Yeah, I guess you did. You're late." And he was someone that treasured punctuality...

"I'm sorry," she said, her fingers wrapping around the neck of his beer bottle. She lifted it to her lips, taking a few gulps before placing it back on the table. "I got stuck chatting with a friend."

He didn't like excuses. "I guess it's fine," he murmured, turning his gaze away. He hated the look she was giving him; she stared at him with eyes darkened with desire, with parted lips that begged for his kiss.

"Aww, baby..." She leaned down, wrapping her arms around his neck and rubbing her head against his. "You don't look very happy with me. We can go back to my place and I can," she paused meaningfully before whispering in his ear, "_cheer you up_."

He remained silent for a moment, as if he had to think about it. "Fine." That was all he said before he pushed himself to his feet. Her arms coiled around his waist as she nestled into his side.

"Is your car here?" he asked her.

"No. I had my friend bring me. Why?"

"I have something I need to do today. Wouldn't want to leave you stranded at your place."

They walked out, enduring the harsh wind and bitter cold. When they got into the car, he made sure to turn the heat on.

"I hate this," he heard her complain. "My fingers get so numb! Is my face red?"

"Yeah," he said. "A little bit."

"Damn," she grumbled. She smiled suddenly. "I can't wait to get back. You'll chase away the cold from my body, won't you?"

God, he felt sick. He managed a smile. "I'll do all of that and more, baby..."

"I want you to stay with me," she told him. "Leo won't be back until Tuesday, so we'll have the apartment to ourselves. You can do what you need to do and come back to me."

Leo Embry. The one she wanted him to believe was her brother. He knew her story; he never got into one of these messes without doing his homework. Her parents had kicked her out because she'd been defiant and childish. She had been living with and using men since then, relying heavily on her looks and her..._other talents_.

She made it too easy, he thought. He was her dirty secret, kept hidden from the rest of the world. She normally only met him on his turf, where no one would recognize her and where everyone respected him and didn't question his actions.

"Oh, yeah?" He tried his damnedest to sound interested.

"Yeah! So, what do you say? Will you stay with me?"

"I might," was his noncommittal reply.

"You look tired," she said, one of her hands falling to his thigh. He glanced over to see her face, to see the wicked intent in her eyes. Disgusting beast...

"I am a little tired," he admitted, closing his eyes when they stopped at a red light. He tensed up when her hand wandered up, trying to feel him through his jeans.

"Your reactions are always so priceless!" She laughed. "You act like an innocent."

He _was _an innocent. Why would he waste himself on the likes of this creature and the other ones that were just like her? There was only one that would be good enough for him... His woman - his sweet Lydia - had the purest soul, the brightest eyes and a ready smile. She was not self-serving, like this thing beside him. Lydia was driven by her need to help, to protect, others.

He laughed, though. "I'm driving," he said. "You're making me nervous."

"Afraid I'll make you drive into a ditch?"

"Something like that," he murmured.

They were silent for a long moment. He didn't mind. He hated even the sound of her voice. He sighed when they finally made it to her apartment building.

"Come on," she urged, getting out of the car. He followed shortly after, standing on the stoop with her while she unlocked the door.

At once, he became a different person, holding himself at a distance and answering her with very few words. He kicked the door closed as he watched her; she hastily picked up some of the things she'd left lying around. "Sorry!" But she was laughing. "Sit down! Make yourself comfortable…" As she spoke, she removed her coat and tossed it aside. Slowly, she lowered herself onto the couch, her eyes darkening with desire. _For him_.

He was reluctant, but he didn't let it show as he moved to sit by her. "Silly," he heard her say. "Take off all of that stuff!" She giggled and he sighed. "You're not still mad at me for being a little late, are you?" She tilted her head to one side, her mass of red-gold curls attracting his attention. Probably the only thing he liked about her…

He offered her a small smile that disappeared soon after. His eyes widened when she straddled him. He looked up at her and she leaned down to cover his mouth with hers. He felt a pang of guilt when he returned the kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth to dominate, to possess.

Lydia was always on his mind. _Always_. This was a betrayal! His body responded as any man's would – and guilt overwhelmed him because of it. He gripped her upper arms, wanting only to throw her away from him. He refrained.

For all he knew, Lydia was doing this same exact thing – but with that Jayden character. He shouldn't feel guilt. He should want this. He should take this woman like he would take Lydia – _like an animal_.

She whimpered. "Your gloves are cold! Take them off!"

He opened his eyes, then. His gaze fell to one of his hands, slid down the length of her arm to find the lines – old and new, jagged and clean, crisscrossed and lonely – marring her pale wrist. And he remembered what he was doing here. He licked his lips, still tasting _her_ – and felt disgust all over again.

Her house phone went off suddenly. "Ignore it," she murmured as she nuzzled his cheek. She ground herself against him, surely hoping to distract him. His body raged, wept, roared for release. He wouldn't allow it. His purpose was clear.

_Jacquelyn, baby, it's Leo. If you're there, pick up, please. I need to talk to you. My mom called and said that she'd been trying to reach you in order to talk about the wed—_

She pushed off of him and he grunted. That hurt! She rushed over to the phone. Without wasting any more time, he stood, his footfalls kept light as he drew his blade. She answered and ended the call in a matter of seconds. Sensing how close he was, she tried to whirl around to face him as he pounced on his prey.

He placed his hand over her mouth, trapping her scream. "Hush, baby girl. I _did_ promise to chase the cold away from your body, didn't I?" She elbowed him repeatedly and he ground his teeth against the rush of pain. "Quit fighting!" he snarled. He lifted the knife, touching the steel to her soft flesh. She struggled violently.

Briefly, he found himself wondering why she would fight him. He offered peace. It was what she wanted, right? The cutting of wrists seemed a slow way to go, a cry for attention more than anything, he thought. Life offered only endless pain; it didn't do anyone any favors. _Why_ would she fight?

He applied more and more pressure. The blade sank into fragile skin and then some… Still, she fought. He sighed, frustrated. His thoughts and emotions were conflicting already, but…this was necessary. Ruthlessly, he dragged the blade across her throat. Blood sprayed and he allowed her limp body to fall to the floor.

Jacquelyn tried to force air into her lungs; he could hear her laboring for breath. Slowly, he turned away, wiping his blade off on the throw blanket. He stored the knife and rummaged around for a pen and paper. Another warning.

He wrote hastily, maybe a little sloppily. It couldn't matter right now. His gaze searched, eventually finding the vase of flowers that he'd sent her. What kind of story had she told Leo when those had showed up? He shook his head, approached the vase and tucked the note into the flowers. He pulled one of the brightly colored flowers out and tossed it so that it landed on Jacquelyn's back, along with one of his signature "infinity" cards.

"May you find peace in the next life, baby girl." He locked the door before leaving her behind. He tucked his hands into his pockets and lifted his head...with a _smile_.

* * *

**Author's Note: **holy potato! Our guy - do you think he's freaky enough? Oh. In no way do I _ever_ mean to offend anyone, just so you know. Touched on some sensitive subjects up there... Anyway, thankies for taking the time to read!


	13. Terror Street

**Author's Note: **I want to thank you for being so patient, those of you who waited for me to update. I also want to thank those who left me reviews, as they all make me smile!

* * *

_Terror Street_

* * *

"_What_?" Jayden's eyes widened in horror. Brant nodded, his own eyes sad as he delivered the news. "Let's head over there now," Jayden found himself saying.

"I'm with you."

A landlord had found a young woman bleeding out, clinging to life. She'd died on her way to the hospital. While the body was being dealt with, they'd visit the apartment and start investigating, as all the signs pointed to the Mercy Killer. And Jayden had thought that this was out of hand before… There was so little time between the kills now. This was desperation at its finest. Or worst.

The apartment was a mess when they arrived. There were some clothes lying around, a couple of empty beer bottles on one counter, half-eaten food. In the kitchen, Jayden found a flower lying in a pool of blood. A hyacinth. There was a card nearby, one tip stained crimson. Jayden turned it over, and sure enough, the infinity symbol had returned to mock him.

"Bastard…" he mumbled, standing. He moved down the hall and into a bedroom. It was plain, the bed unmade and clothes strewn about. A flyer on the dresser drew his attention. "'Patch of Shamrock'?" What the hell was he looking at?

_Drink 'til you can't! Get lucky at the Patch of Shamrock! _

Someone needed to hire a new advertiser, he thought. This was good, though. They finally had something to go on. He replaced the flyer and returned to the other room. He rubbed at his temple, closing his eyes briefly. He glanced over at Brant; the man was busy teasing one of the other officers. Jayden looked to his left and his eyes fell on a vase full of the purple hyacinths.

Jayden sighed and approached the counter. A note was slipped between the flowers and he dragged it out. His frown deepened when he saw the message:

_Do you know how raptors strike?_

Two lines indicated that this was his second warning. And raptors? They were the wolves of the prehistoric world. Wolves hunted in packs. Did that mean that he had partners? Wolves weren't exactly known for their speed, so they stalked their prey, could pursue it tirelessly for miles… When they were close enough, having circled and trapped their prey, they struck. The prey – ambushed.

Ambush! Jayden's eyes widened. _Lydia!_

* * *

"Your turn, Lyd!" Konnor chimed. She reached and drew a card, revealing two blue squares. "Aww… You passed me." He looked at Luke, "Your turn."

Luke clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Alright! Here we go!" He took a card between his fingers, paused, glanced at the siblings, and then drew his card. He turned it around to show them. "Single. Red." He looked like he was pouting as he moved his green character to the next red square. "This game is making me want sweets," he mumbled.

Konnor laughed, "It does that to me, too!"

Lydia shook her head with a small smile. "It's your turn again, Konnor."

"Right, right!" He picked up the next card. "Two purple!" he said with a grin. He moved his character. "I'm back in the lead!"

The door opened, slammed against the wall. Lydia gasped as both she and Luke jumped to their feet. Chester barked from upstairs and came running to check out the situation. "Norman?" Lydia placed a hand over her racing heart. "Jeez! You scared us half to death!"

Jayden let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He relaxed a little, letting his shoulders droop as he looked them over. She was fine. Konnor was fine, though he looked shocked. "Sorry," he murmured.

Lydia, noticing his expression, moved forward. "What happened?" she asked him. She looked back at Luke and Konnor. The boy slowly got to his feet and moved to stand behind her, clutching the back of her shirt.

"Lyd…?"

"It's fine, Konnor. It's only Mr. Jayden, probably here for his lunch break…" The look in her eye told him that he best be on his lunch break – at least in front of Konnor.

"Ah… Yeah. I forgot how easily this door opens. The one at the station always gets stuck and you have to give it that extra _oomph_!" He smiled to reassure the boy.

Konnor frowned, as if he knew he was being lied to. He looked up at Lydia. When she smiled, he gave a shrug and moved back to the coffee table. "Are we going to finish the game?"

"Why don't the two of you restart? I'm going to talk to Mr. Jayden for a moment." They moved into the kitchen. Lydia immediately began fixing him something to eat. He sat down and watched her; she was tense, and her body shuddered under the stress.

"Lydia, come and sit down," he ordered lightly. "I feel like you're going to pass out on me."

"I won't," she said. "I promise." She turned and set a plate down in front of him. A turkey sandwich with carrot sticks. Nice…

"Thanks," he murmured. He lifted and nibbled on one of the carrots. "I didn't mean to freak you out. You should really sit down," he said when she moved back and pulled a small zip-lock plastic bag from a cabinet. Her back needed the rest, as stress tended to gather in the lower back.

"Give me a minute."

He allowed her that minute. He took a bite of his sandwich since he _was_ hungry. When she finally sat across from him, she slid the bag along the table – full of cookies. He blinked before looking up at her. She offered him a smile. That smile would have lit her eyes if they weren't so…_tired_.

"I didn't expect you," she mumbled. "I'll prepare something better tonight."

"Lydia…"

She shook her head, asking, "What had you freaking out when you came in?"

"Lydia, you need to be doubly cautious now." She frowned as she watched him pull a note from his breast pocket. "He knows I'm here for him, and that I'm staying with you. He doesn't like it."

"How do raptors strike…?" she whispered absently as she stared at the paper. She dragged a hand through her hair. "They hunted in packs, right?"

"He means to say that they ambushed their prey. Promise me that you'll be more careful."

"Of course. I still have Konnor to look after."

Jayden's gaze held hers captive. The intensity in his eyes had a shiver running down her spine, though she sensed that Jayden would never harm her. "Norman…?" Her voice sounded soft, distant even to her own ears.

She blinked and his expression had softened. "I'm gonna see if I can get some guys over here to watch over you two. With the way things are, they're kind of spread thin right now, though."

Lydia stared at the frown that came to his face. What an endearing expression...

"Lydia? Lydia, are you listening to me?"

She gasped. "I must have wandered into my own little world," she said with a short laugh. "Sorry." When she glanced at his plate, she realized that she'd been zoned out long enough for him to finish his meal.

"I'm going to head back now," he told her, rising from his chair. "I want you to rest." She looked far too weak. Too pale.

Lydia nodded. "I will." She offered him a smile, followed him back into the living room. Konnor pushed himself to his feet and went to Lydia's side.

"I'll be back later tonight." Jayden looked at her, saying, "Remember what I said." His eyes fell on Konnor. "Be good, kid." He even ruffled Konnor's hair, surprising the boy. He stared up at Jayden as if he'd sprouted wings. Jayden was half tempted to smile at that reaction. As to not make Luke feel left out, he told the man to "take care".

"Yeah, you too."

Jayden took his leave.

* * *

"I'll shoot you the next time you leave me stranded," Brant grumbled when he walked into Jayden's office. He leaned against the desk, arms crossed.

"Sorry. What'd you learn?" Jayden sat up straight.

"Gonna just brush me off like that?" His frown deepened and he sighed. "The victim was Jacquelyn Mallory, twenty-five years old. Cause of death: duh. Had to be the slit throat. Thing is, this one fought our guy. The cut was jagged, not clean. The doc said that she had some old scars on her wrists, thought she might've been a cutter." Brant shrugged.

Jayden glanced up at the other man. It was obvious that he was pouting. Brant was a moody one. "So," Brant started, "where'd you run off to, anyway?"

"I had to check on Lydia," was all Jayden said.

"Ah… The chick that was with Page when he was attacked. I remember. Was something wrong?"

"Have you ever heard of a bar called 'Patch of Shamrock'?" he asked, changing the subject.

Brant made a disgusted face. "Yeah. Someone's called out there at least twice a week because of drunken fools."

"There was a flyer for that place back at the apartment," Jayden murmured. "We should check it out."

"Uh…" Brant checked his watch. "Don't think I'll be able to tag along this time, Norm. I've got my daughter and I need to be there to let the baby-sitter go."

"I understand. I'll see what I can find out."

"Yeah, alright, but be careful. That place gets more than its fair share of freaks."

Jayden was sure it did…

So when he pulled into the bar's parking lot, he was a little surprised to find the building was rather plain with some graffiti here and there. It appeared…normal. He got out of the car, tucking his hands into his pockets to protect them from the cold. He looked up at the sky – dark, though it was only 7:00PM.

Jayden stepped in and was smacked in the face with smoke. He glanced around, noting the looks that he was getting. It was as if they could smell what he was, sensed that he wanted to ruin their good time. A woman, perched on one of the round tables, chewed her gum, her cat eyes tracking his progress as he moved around the tables and approached the bartender.

Said bartender glanced at him, offered a pleasant smile, though Jayden could tell that it was forced. "Hello. What can I get you?" Jayden flashed his ID and the bartender's smile disappeared. He blinked his tired blue eyes, cleared his throat. "Right. Business trip, I guess. Not fun."

"You are…" He glanced at his notes, as he'd studied up on the place before leaving the office. "Craig Stewart, the owner's son. They call you Shamrock?"

"That they do," Craig said on a sigh.

"What are your hours?"

"Well, since Dad's the owner, I'm kind of expected to work as much as possible. I'm here six days a week right after school. Work starts at 6:00PM, sometimes 5:00. I leave after everyone's been sent on their merry way and I've cleaned up the place, so around 3:00AM."

"You go to school?"

"Online courses for business management," Craig told him, shrugging.

Jayden nodded a little. "So, you've probably heard about the recent killings," he said in a hushed tone.

"Yeah. That's some crazy shit." But it didn't seem to bother him as much as it should have. He picked up a glass and started wiping it down. That small action told of his nervousness.

"Did you know Bernadette Daniels?"

Craig's hands ceased all movement. "I did, actually. We weren't really friends; we just screwed when I found the time."

Jayden grunted. "What about Jacquelyn Mallory?"

"Name's not familiar." He shook his head. "You got a picture? If I've seen her before, I could definitely recognize her face. I've a knack for that, really."

"Not on me, no."

Craig glanced at a couple of girls who were waiting to be served. "I'll be with you in a sec."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to come back another time to ask you a few more questions."

"That's fine by me."

"Thanks. Have a nice night."

"Yeah, you too."

Jayden turned and left the bar. His stomach rumbled a little, and though he didn't really have a sweet tooth, he dragged the bag of cookies out. He made his way back to his car, fingering his keys in his pocket after replacing the cookies. He sighed and his breath came out as wispy white fog. He took a bite of a cookie.

"Hmm…" _Chewy. _Pleasantly so.

He heard the footfalls too late, but he reached for his gun. Before he could turn to face his pursuer, he received a harsh blow to the side of his face. That was going to bruise…

When he finally got a glimpse of the attacker, he was just a shadow. It was too dark, and this man wore all black. He snarled, sounding more animal than man, as he sent another fist straight for Jayden's face. This time, Jayden caught the fist and moved to draw his weapon. A swift, but powerful kick had Jayden falling to one knee.

This guy had speed, Jayden thought as his face took _yet another_ punch that had him nearly lying on the ground. He dragged his gun from its hiding spot and fired off two shots. He heard a sharp intake of breath, figured that one of the bullets had hit. He blinked to get rid of his blurred vision, and the guy was gone, as if it'd all been some weird nightmare. This guy, whoever he was, should be called the 'Phantom Killer'. Seriously. He was just that fast.

"Shit," Jayden swore, pushing himself up. His head was killing him now. Looking around, he figured the man must have jumped over the bushes to his right and dashed behind the little convenient store next to the bar, disappearing into the night. Jayden sighed, got into the car and started it up. He breathed for a minute before pulling out of the lot.

He'd head back to Lydia's place now. He'd get the pictures and then return to get more information from Stewart. Right now, that bar was the only common link between the girls that he could see. He couldn't let this send him packing. He'd thought to tell Lydia to be more careful, and yet, he'd been the one waltzing around without fear.

Still, it was like he wore a sign that said, '_Hey! Come beat the snot out of me!_' He was beginning to lose track of how many times this kind of thing had happened to him. He was surprised that he didn't have any brain injuries to speak of.

At a red light, he pulled the cookies out. He nibbled on one while he waited. "Hmm…" _Chewy._

* * *

**Chapter: **end! More on the way!


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